Support for lens blanks and process of securing lens blanks to said supports



- 1 Jim 27, 1944.

2,352,178 OF SECURING J. BOLSEY SUPPORTS FOR L BLANKS AND PROC ESSESUPPORTS 43 ENS LENS BLANKS TO Filed Jan SAID S 5, l9

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JACUUES BOLSEY Patented June 27, 1944 I SUPPORT FOR LENS BLANKS ANDPROCESS OF SECURING LENS BLANKS T SAID SUPPORTS Jacques Bolsey, NewYork, N, Y. Application January 5, 1943, Serial No. 471,324

6 Claims.

My present invention relatesto lens blocking means and to processes ofsecuring lens blanks to a lens supporting member, e. g. a tail. stock,during grinding and polishing.

It is an object of my present invention to provide supports for lensblanks which enable precise and exact grinding and polishing of the lenswhile it is secured to these supports.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tail stock of simpleconstruction.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide a tail stock orsimilar support adapted to support simultaneously a plurality of lensessecured exactly centered to its lens supporting face.

Another object of my present invention consists in new processes ofsecuring optical elements to be ground and finished, as for instancelens blanks, to supports, e. g. tail stocks, in such a manner that theselens blanks are automatically centered and that there is no need oflengthy measurements during this fastening operation.

with the above objects in view, my present invention mainly consists ofa new support for lens. blanks which comprises a supporting memberhaving two faces, one of which serves as supporting surface for the lensblanks; this supporting member is provided with a hole connecting thissupporting surface with the other face of the supporting member; thishole is shaped in such a manner as to prevent removal of hardenedadhesive material filling the hole from the same with the inner face 9of through that end of the hole which is in that other face of thesupporting member without breaking the hardened adhesive.

In this way, it is prevented that the adhesive material securing thelens blank to the supporting surface of the lens supporting member, e.g. tail head, become detached from the hole without being either brokenor separated from the lens blank it is holding. This assures proper andsecure fastening of the lens blank to the supporting surface of the tailstock. Furthermore, my new method of securing the lens blank to the tailstock avoids the application of any adhesive material between the lensblanks and the lens supporting surface of the same and assures correctposition and centering of the lens blank in relation to the tail stockand the grinding and polishing devices.

My present invention is particularly adapted to facilitate simultaneousfastening of a plurality a cooling medium, e.

adjusting the position of each lens blank separately as had to be doneup to now.

The novel features which I consider characteristic for my invention areset forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, both as to its construction and its method of operation,together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be bestunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments, whenread in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l .is a cross section of a lens blocking device having an outersemi-spherical lens supporting surface;

Figure 2 shows a device for pitching lens blanks to the lens blockingdevice shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross section of a modified lens blocking device having aninner lens supporting surface with lens blanks secured to this surface;

Figure 4 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a cross section of another modified lens blocking devicehaving a flat lens supporting surface.

The lens blocking device shown in Figure 1 consists of a lens supportingmember I preferably provided with depressions 2 into which fit the lensblanks 3 to be ground and polished. Each of these depressions 2 isconnected by a hole 8 the lens supporting member I.

This member i is supported by the body member 4 screwed to it. A channel[2 is arranged 4 inside body member 4 and serves for circulating g. coldwater, through the hollow space lens supporting member and body member4.

After the lens blanks 3 have been inserted into the depressions 2provided in theouter lens sup- 40 porting surface of the lens supportingmember I,

nc member I,

of lens blanks to'a lens blocking device. In this case, all lens blanksare correctly positioned and centered without the necessity of measuringand a cover 5 of rubber or like resilient material is placed over thelens supporting member I in order to retain the lens' blanks 3 in theirplaces during the following operation of applying the adhesive.

45 It should be noted that the inner surface of the rubber cover 5 hasto have a shape which is equal to the shape of the outer surface of thelens supporting member Thereafter, the unit formed by lens supportthelens blanks 3, and. cover 5 placed thereon, is unscrewed from the bodymember 4 and placed upside down into the hollow member 6. The innersurface of this member 6 corresponds to the outer surface of rubbercover as shown in Figure 2. Fastening devices 1 l3 formed by the innerface 9 of the hesive material between these lens blanks l and the outersurface of the lens supporting member I.

Thereafter, heated molten pitch I. or similar thermoplastic adhesivematerial is poured into the lens supporting member I, as shown in Figure2. It is advantageous if this pitch forms a continuous coherent coatingover. the inner' surface of the supporting member I.

After the pitch coating II has penetrated into and filled all holes andafter this pitch coating has hardened, the fastening devices I areloosened and the lens supporting member I is removed from the-hollowmember t. Then, this member I together with lens blanks 3 secured to itby the pitch coating II is screwed back onto the body member I. The lensblanks I are then ready for further treatment, 1. e. grinding andpolishing.

It should be mentioned that each of the holes 8 is shaped in such amanner that detachment of the hardened pitch II from the same isimpossible without either breaking this' hardened pitch or separatingthe pitch from the lens blank 3 to which it firmly adheres. For thispurpose.

it is preferable to make the diameter of each of these holes adjacent tolens blank 3 smaller than its diameter at the inner surface s of thelens supporting member I. If, as shown in the drawing, the holes I areof conical shape, they have to be wider at their'inner ends, 1. e. nearthe inner face 0 of the supporting memberfi.

Figures 3, 4, and show two modified embodiments of the presentinvention. While with the lens supporting member shown in Figure 1 it ispossible to grind and polish convex lens surfaces, the lens supportingmember shown in-Figures 3 and 4 serves for treatment of concave lensblanks and the one shown in Figure 5 for treatment of flat lenssurfaces. These modified devices are so similar to the one shown inFigure 1 that their detailed description seems unnecessary. They will beeasily understood by anybody skilled in this art from Figures 3, 4, and5, respectively.

It should, however, be mentioned-that there are nevertheless some:constructive differences between the various embodiments shown in thedrawing: thus, the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 has a plate-shaped bodymember! provided with an external thread II and ahemi-spherical lenssupporting member I provided-with lens ments shown in Figs. 3 and 5'respectively are. provided with outer threads.

As shown in the drawing, the upper part of the body members 4 and 4' isshaped in each case in such a manner as to form a hollow space I 3between this body and the face 0 of the lens supporting member I. Thereason for this is that it is advantageous to provide a circulation ofcooling liquid along the inner surface of the adhesive coating III toprevent the same from becoming softened. This circulating coolingliquid,

not shown in the drawing, circulates through channel I2 in well-knownway.

It should be mentioned that the depressions 2 in the outer surface ofthe lens supporting member I are preferably shaped in such a man} nerthat the lens blanks inserted into them prolect over the outer surfaceof this member so that during treatment of the lens blanks thesupporting member itself does not come into' contact with the 'grindingor polishing tools.-

It will be understood thateach of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other devicesfor supporting work pieces differing from the lens blocking devicesdescribed above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention is embodied in lensblocking devices, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown,

since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in-any way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofmy invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,

readily adapt it for various applications without supporting depressions2 on its outer surface while the embodiment shown in Figs. '3 and 4comprises a cup-shaped body member 4 provided with an internal thread Itand a hemi-spherical lens supporting member I provided with depressions2' on its inner surface. The embodiments shown in Fig. 5 comprises alsoa cup-shaped body member 4' provided with internal threads I while thelens supporting member II of this embodiment is fiat and plate-shapedand has an outer plane surface without any depressions. Of course, thethreads on the lens supporting members have to correspond to the threadson the body members: thus, the lens supporting member I oftheernbodiment shown in Fig. 1 is provided with an internal thread whilethe lens omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art,fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specificaspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and areintended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalenceof the following claims.

What I claim as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process of simultaneously securing 9. pl

rality of lens blanks to a lens supporting member provided with aplurality of holes spaced apart from eachother and connecting the lenssupp ting surface of said lens supporting member with another facethereof, said process comprising the steps of positioning said lenssupporting member with its lens supporting surface facing upward,placing the lens blanks on said surface so that one lens blank is comingto lie on each of said holes, placing'a coverin member having an in nerresilient covering ace corresponding in shape to the lens supportingsurface of said lef'i's supporting member with said covering surfajiije,

upon said lens supporting surface of said supporting member and the lensblanks pl thereon, turning thereafter said lenssupporting member withsaid lens blanks and 'covering member placed upon the same upside down,plac- 1 ing it with said covering member on-a supp rting surfacecorresponding in shape to the outer noncovering surface of said coveringmember without removing said lens blanks from the corresupportingmembers "I' and II of the embodisponding holes in said lens supportingmember,

and finally filling said holes in said lens supporting member with, aheated thermoplastic adhesive material sticking to the walls of saidholes and to those faces of the lens blanks which are lying under them,thus securing after cooling said lens blanks to said lens supportingmember without provision of adhesive material between the s pportingsurface of said lens supporting member and the supp rted faces of thelens blanks.

2. Process of simultaneously securing a plurality of lens blanks to alens supporting member provided with a plurality of holes spaced apartfrom each other and connecting the lens suporting surface of said lenssupporting member withanother face thereof, said process comprising thesteps of positioning said lens supporting member with its lenssupporting surface facing upward. placing the lens blanks on saidsurface so that one lens blank is coming to lie on each of said holes,placing a covering member having an inner resilient covering surfacecorresponding in shape to the lens supporting surface of said lens supprting member with said covering surface upon said lens supportingsurface of said lens supporting member and the lens blanks, placedthereon, turning thereafter said lens supporting member with said lensblanks and said covering member placed upon the same upside down,placing it with said covering member on a support having a supportingsurface corresponding in shape to the outer non-covering surface of saidcovering member without removing said lens blanks from the correspondingholes in said lens supporting member, securing said lens supportingmember and said covering member with said lens blanks between them tosaid support, preventing thereby unwanted relative movement between saidlens supporting member and said lens blanks, and finally filling saidholes in said lens supporting member with a heated thermoplasticadhesive material sticking to the walls of said holes and to-those facesof the lens blankswhich are lying under them, thus securing aftercooling said lens blanks to said lens supporting member withoutprovision of adhesive material between the supporting surface of saidlens supporting member and the supported faces of the lens blanks.

3. Process of simultaneously securing a plurality of lens blanks to alens supporting member provided with a plurality of holes spaced apartfrom each other and connecting the lens supporting surface of said lenssupporting member with another face thereof, said process comprising thesteps of positioning said lens supporting member with its lenssupporting surface facing upward, placing the lens blanks on saidsurface so that-one lens blank is coming to lie on each of said holes,placing a covering member having an inner resilient covering surfacecorresponding in shape to the lens supporting surface of said lenssupporting member with said covering surface upon said lens supportingsurface of said lens supporting member and the lens blanks placedthereon, turning thereafter said lens supporting member with said lensblanks and said covering member placed upon the same upside down,placing it with said covering member on a supporting surfacecorresponding in shape to the outer noncovering surface of said coveringmember without removing said lens blanks from the corresponding holes insaid lens supportingmember, filling said holes in said lens supportingmember with a tothemfromsaidcoveringmemberandtreatina theiens blanksasdesired.

4. Process of simultaneously securing a plurality of lens blanks to alens supporting member provided with a plurality of holes spaced apartfrom each other and connecting the lens supporting surface of said lenssupporting memher with another face thereof, said process comprising thesteps of positioning said lens supporting member with its lenssupporting surface facing upward, placing the lens blanks on saidsurface so that one lens blank is coming to lie on each of said holes,placing a covering member having an inner resilient covering surfacecorresponding in shape to the lens supporting surface of said lenssupporting member with said covering surface upon said lens supportingsurface of said lens supporting member and the lens blanks placedthereon, turning thereafter said lens supporting member with said lensblanks and said covering member placed upon the same upside down,placing it with said covering member on a support having a supportingsurface corresponding in shape to the outer non-covering surface of saidcovering member without removing said lens blanks from the correspondingholes in said lens supporting member, securing said lens supportingmember and said covering member with said lens blanks between them tosaid support, preventing thereby unwanted relative movement between saidlens supporting member and said lens blanks, filling said holes in saidlens supporting member with a heated thermoplastic adhesive materialsticking to the walls of said holes and to those faces of the lensblanks which are lyingunder them, thus securing after cooling said lensblanks to said lens supporting member without provision of adhesivematerial, between the supporting surface of said lens supporting memberand the supported faces of the lens blanks, and finally removing saidlens supporting member with said lens blanks secured to them from saidcovering member and treating the lens blanks as desired. I

5. Process of simultaneously securing a plurality of lens blanks to alens supporting member provided with a plurality of holes spaced apartheated thermoplastic adhesive material sticking lens supporting .memberand the supported faces of the lens blanks, and finally removing saidlens from each other and connecting the lens sup porting surface of saidlens supporting member with another face thereof, said processcomprising the steps of positioning'said lens supporting member with itslens supporting surface being upward, placing the lens blanks onsaidsurface so that one lens blank is coming to lie on each of said holes,placing a holding member upon said lens supporting surface of said lenssupporting member and the lens blanks placed thereon holding the latterin their proper places, turning said lens supp rting member with saidlens blanks and said holding member placed upon the same upside down,and filling said holes in saidlens supporting member with an adhesivematerial sticking to the walls of said holes and to those rality of lensblanks to a lens supporting member provided with a plurality of holesspaced apart from each other and connecting the lens supporting surfaceof said lens supporting memsupporting member t said lens bl k e u d herwith another face thereof, said process comin: member with its lenssupporting surface lacing upward, placing the lens blanks on saidsurface so that one lens blank is coming to lie on each of said holes,placing a coveringlmember, 5

having an inner covering surface corresponding in shape at leastsubstantially to the lens supporting' surface of said lens supportingmember with prising the steps 0! positioning said lens supportdown, andillllng said holes in said lens supporting member with an adhesivematerial sticking to the walls of said holes and to those faces of thelens blanks which are bring under them, thus securing said lens blanksto said lens supporting member without provision of adhesive materialbetween the supporting suri'aceoi said lens supporting member and thesupported faces of the lens blanks, and finally removingsaid lenssupporting member with said lens blanks secured to them from saidcovering member and treating the lens blanks as desired.-

JACQUES BOLSE'Y.

